Apparently This Mascara Makes Your Eyelashes Fall Out

I always think of Covergirl and other drugstore makeup brands as totally trustworthy — they’ve been around for about a billion years, so what could go wrong? For Amy Schavolt of West Palm Beach, FL, things went so wrong with Covergirl’s Bombshell Volume mascara that her eyelashes fell out.

Schavolt told a local news station that at first, people were complimenting her extra-voluminous lashes, but soon the product turned into a bunch of clumpy goop. When she wiped her eye with makeup remover, her eyelashes started to fall out into her hand. The same mascara also left an Arizona woman watching her lashes fall out in front of her. “I’m not a vain person. I didn’t think anybody would see it,” she explained. “But, yes, three people said something to me today. (They said) what happened to your eyes?” (Apparently, she doesn’t have very polite friends.)

The Covergirl website is exploding with bad reviews about the mascara, but the company still claims that lash loss isn’t typical. They also released the following statement:

COVERGIRL values all feedback from women who use our products, and takes their input and reviews to heart. Many women have told us that they love a dramatic, dark lash look from a mascara with staying power. But, some other women have said they find mascaras like Bombshell difficult to remove. So, we’ve taken steps to more broadly communicate the need to use an oil-based remover with long-lasting mascaras. For example, there is a how-to video tutorial on our YouTube channel, and we regularly respond to questions from women who call, or contact us in social media. In addition, we are in the process of updating the Bombshell packaging to advise use of an oil-based remover. We still encourage anyone with comments or questions to reach out to COVERGIRL at 1-800-426-8374.

Covergirl also says that Bombshell Volume wears like a waterproof mascara (though I’m pretty sure it does not say that on the packaging) and that’s a big reason for how tough it is to remove. Apparently, you’re supposed to let the remover soak into your lashes for about a minute before trying to wipe the mascara off. Um. Maybe they should say that on the bottle instead of waiting for people to find that out on the Internet after clumpy bits of their own eyelashes are all over the bathroom counter. Beauty Public Service Announcement: maybe don’t buy this stuff.

Leolah Brown, sister to Bobby Brown and aunt to Bobbi Kristina was kicked out of her niece’s funeral yesterday after verbally lashing at Pat Houston Bobbi Kristina’s former manager as well as sister-in-law to Bobbi Kristina’s mother Whitney Houston. Phew. That was a mouthful.